Fountain fire under investigation

The cause of a Saturday night fire in Fountain remains unclear, firefighters said Sunday.

Firefighters responded to the scene on Wineglass Road, on the city’s southeast side, just before 8:15 p.m.

The fire started outside a garage, burned the rear of the garage and singed part of the home’s exterior, firefighters said.

“I saw the flames lighting up the street and a huge smoke plume,” said Brittany Burton, a neighbor down the street.

People reported seeing the fire from miles away.

Firefighters said no one was hurt and the home’s three residents were away at the time. They were allowed to return that night.

William and Erin Carpenter live next door to the fire and noticed it on the way home, arriving ahead of firefighters.

“I cleared the house, made sure nobody was in there, opened the door, let the animals out because I knew (the homeowner) had two cats inside,” William Carpenter said. “Then I called 9-1-1 because I know he works on vehicles and has chemicals in the garage.”

Erin Carpenter said the fire should renew attention on a longtime concern — that the east side of town has no fire stations.

“(Emergency crews) get held up by the railroad and what not,” she said. “There have been at least two measures on ballots that have failed.”

The Carpenters hope it doesn’t take the loss of a home, or a life, to change the situation.

Fire investigators are trying to determine how the fire began. The value of damage was unavailable Sunday.